You can still watch our Google+ On Air Hangout on Light and Health with Dr. Mario Motta and Dr. Richard Stevens. It is available here >>

IDA Welcomes New Executive Director

The International Dark Sky Association, a leader in night sky preservation, is excited to welcome J. Scott Feierabend as its new Executive Director. Scott comes to IDA with a strong record of proven leadership excellence and more than 30 years serving the nonprofit environmental community. Read the IDA press release >>

IDA Board Elections

Congratulations to Kelly Beatty and Connie Walker who have been reelected to the IDA Board of Directors. The Board was impressed with the two additional candidates who were running for the third vacant Board seat and at their December 6th meeting decided to expand the Board and bring them both on. We welcome Tim Shotbolt and Diana Umpierre to the 2015 IDA Board of Directors.

IDA Issues New Standards on Blue Light at Night

The International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) is pleased to announce new requirements for its Fixture Seal of Approval (FSA) program of “dark sky friendly” light fixtures. Created nearly a decade ago, the FSA program is regarded by industry leaders as an essential certification for outdoor lighting and continues to evolve as new research and metrics become available. Read More >>

Arizona's Oracle State Park Named as Newest Dark Sky Park

Nestled between the bright cities of Phoenix and Tucson, Oracle State Park Center for Environmental Education is a dark sky oasis in the desert. Now the park's impressive night skies will be protected for future generations. The International Dark-Sky Association is honored to name Oracle State Park an International Dark Sky Park. Read the press release >>

IDA Statement on 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics

The International Dark-Sky Association applauds the recent Nobel Prize announcement, but urges the responsible use of LEDs. The energy-efficient nature of LEDs encourages the use of excessive amounts of light. Research has shown that historically, when there is an improvement in the efficiency of lighting technology, a greater amount of outdoor lighting is used. Read More >>

The UNESCO Rhön Biosphere Reserve at the junction of three federal German states now adds "International Dark Sky Reserve" to its titles of distinction. Read the press release >>

The stars at night are big and bright at two newly-designated International Dark Sky Parks deep in the heart of Texas. Read the press release >>

The iconic red rock surroundings of Sedona, Arizona, are a world-famous backdrop for outdoor adventures. Now Sedona adds dark skies to the mix as it is designated the world's eighth International Dark Sky Community. Read the press release >>

Hovenweep National Mounument Named as International Dark Sky Park

The star-filled skies of Hovenweep National Monument along the Utah-Colorado border have new protections as the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) announced today it has designated Hovenweep as the world’s seventeenth International Dark Sky Park. Read the press release >>

International Dark Sky Places

IDA offers lesson plans to aid in teaching light pollution issues. Currently three lesson plans are available for download.

This material was produced by IDA with donations from members. If you download this material and find it useful, please donate to IDA now so we can continue our mission of preserving and protecting the nighttime environment.

By downloading this material you agree to use it as an educational tool, crediting the IDA when applicable. Images and material from this Web site may not be used in any unflattering or derogatory manner and it is prohibited to use this material in any commercial use.

Images other than those credited to IDA may NOT be used without consent from the photographer. If you have a specific question regarding an image, please
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A searchlight disrupts the night sky

These programs are designed for use by educators. Please note that downloads will begin automatically in .pdf except for those marked PPT for PowerPoint. They are designed for use on both a PC and Mac, although, the PPT reader in Mac may distort the contents.

Please read the curriculum first, then download the corresponding material.

Outdoor Activity Book

This outdoor activity book is designed for the elementary age student.

We hope that this book will be used by parents, teachers, and astronomy clubs to teach children in fun and inventive ways about the beauty of the natural night sky. The book can be downloaded for free from the link below. It is designed to be used in color, but if that is not possible you are welcome to print it in black and white.

If at anytime you would like to submit an addition to the book please email us from the contact tab at the top of the page. We are always interested in seeing what other groups are doing to teach the public about dark skies and light pollution. Thank you for your support of our organization.

The Promise and Challenges of LED Lighting: An IDA Practical Guide Read >>

Save Our Stars is an IDA outreach initiative intended to help people learn about astronomy, participate in star gazing events, and hear presentations on light pollution. For more information, visit the SOS page >>

Parashant International Night Sky Province protects the intensely dark skies over more than a million acres of public lands in rural northwestern Arizona. Read the press release >>

IDA named the first International Dark Sky Park in the southeastern U.S at the Mayland Community College Blue Ridge Observatory and Star Park, adding a new purpose to development on the site of a former landfill in western North Carolina. Read the Press Release>>

IDA provisionally named the first International Dark Sky Park in Germany, an oasis of darkness amidst some of the brightest night skies in Western Europe. Read the press release >>

IDA has named the first International Dark Sky Reserve in Germany, Westhavelland International Dark Sky Reserve, protecting dark night skies for nearly six million Berliners who live nearby. Read the press release >>